Airbag Inflator Recall- Is Your Car On The List?

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Airbag Inflator Recall- Is Your Car On The List?

Vehicle airbags can be real life savers – except when they don’t work properly. Such is the case with the faulty Takata airbag inflators, which took the life of another driver in December 2017. While driving a 2004 Honda Civic, victim became the 20th known fatality frommalfunctioning Takata airbag inflators.

Automakers around the globe have long known that Takata airbag inflators can break apart and injure or kill vehicle occupants with shrapnel. In fact, they launched an ongoing recall of the inflators 15 years ago. Yet, to date only 43% have been replaced with a safer model, so the problem remains.

As part of its recall efforts, Honda has sent multiple notices to Honda and Accura owners over the years. However, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), only about 65 percent of affected Hondas have been repaired, leaving 35% still at risk from the Takata inflators installed in their vehicles.

Based on these numbers and the December incident with the Honda Civic, Honda has increased their recall efforts, including taking the unprecedented step of going door-to-door to educate owners about the need to get their airbag inflators replaced. The automaker is also using Facebook to connect with owners of at-risk models and get them to replace the inflators.

“Alpha” Inflators Pose the Highest Risk

The Honda/Accura recall involves more than 11.4 million vehicles in the U.S. Depending on the model, some recalls pertain only to the driver-side airbag, while others involve both the driver and passenger-side inflator. As Honda continues its recall efforts, it is currently focusing on a subset of inflators with a rupture rate as high as 50 percent.

These “Alpha” inflators can still be found in older Honda and Acura models manufactured between 2001 and 2003. Vehicles that may be equipped with the Alpha inflators include:

2001-2002 Honda Accord

2001-2002 Honda Civic

2002 Honda CR-V

2002 Honda Odyssey

2003 Honda Pilot

2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL

2003 Acura 3.2CL

Other Models at Risk

Although Alpha inflators may have the highest risk, many other Honda and Accura models can also put you in danger. These include:

2001 – 2007 Honda Accord

2002 – 2013 Honda Fit

2001 – 2004 Honda Stream

2003 – 2008 Honda Pilot

2009 – 2013 Honda City

2001 – 2005 Honda Civic

2012 Honda Civic

2002 – 2014 Honda CR-V

To find out if your vehicle is part of the ongoing recall, visit the NHTSA website and enter your 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN). It can be found on the far left-hand side of your car’s dashboard (just below the windshield), and on your vehicle’s registration card. Some verification of insurance cards may have the information as well.

Act Now!

Unfortunately, the risk from faulty Takata airbag inflators is not limited to Honda and Accord vehicles. In fact, it includes more than 40 million vehicles from many different automakers in the U.S. Some of these brands have Takata inflator “fix rates” as high as 50% while others have replaced only two percent – which still leaves millions of American drivers and passengers at risk.

To find out if you have a Takata airbag inflator that needs replacing, enter your VIN number on the NHTSA website. Or, call a local dealership that sells your make of car and provide the year and model of your vehicle as well as the VIN number.

The only thing more tragic than a fatal auto accident is one that could have been prevented. It only takes a few minutes to find out if your car is subject to the recall. The life you save could be your own.

If you have been involved in an auto accident and need repairs, contact the collision experts at Premier Coach Works. We provide collision repair, custom-paint jobs and paint restorations and 24/7 Accident Assistance. We can send a tow truck and arrange a rental car any time – day or night. We’ll then take you step by step through a completed repair process; all with your 100% satisfaction as our goal. Please call us at: (623) 935-6678 or check out our website at premiercoachworks.com today!